USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Arlington > Town of Arlington annual report 1913 > Part 8
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It will be readily understood that not all children over fourteen years of age should continue through the high school. There are individual cases who, for personal or other reasons, ought not to continue in the high school. Such pupils we not only do not try to hold, but we discourage or practically
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
forbid their further attendance. These cases are comparatively rare and are the result of the same individual study and discrimination which causes us to encourage others to continue and even seek means of financial help for them that they may continue, if the necessity for leaving is of a financial nature. It is interesting in this connection to note that the free employ- ment bureau conducted by the principal of the High School placed 123 boys and girls during the last school year in posi- tions for afternoon or evening work. Over twenty per cent of the pupils in our High School contribute to their own support through out-of-school work, earning from one to eight dollars a week, and many of these are among our best students.
The success of this changed attitude is evidenced by the remarkable growth of our High School and the fact that the percentage of increase in enrollment of pupils over fourteen years of age is more than three times that of pupils of com- pulsory school age. If it is fair to estimate the efficiency of a school system by the quantity and quality of its output, in re- spect to quantity at least we may be considered efficient. The quality of the output is more difficult to determine, but in so far as it may be measured by the success of our graduates in college and the success of our commercial students in securing and holding good positions, we are certainly not going backward.
We find some people, perfectly honest and conscientious who regret the departure from old lines characterized by a required course demanded of all, and maintain that if a child finds Latin or geometry hard and he dislikes it cordially, that is just what he ought to have; and if, on the contrary, he enjoys manual training or chemistry, he doesn't need these, because he will get them in some way. Such a position is fundamentally wrong. This time of adolescence is a period in children's lives when it is especially true that their tastes and interests differ and become pronounced, and they should be allowed to work at something which they like and which is at the same time worth while. Some people make the very common mistake of not discriminating between disagreeable work and hard work. No person works with enthusiasm at a task in which he takes no interest. We aim at helping children to work hard at interesting subjects rather than to force them
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
to work at tasks in which they have no interest and for which they have no liking. The result of the old method was to produce in many cases the shirk and the chronic loafer. The boy who voluntarily returns to school afternoons for work on turning lathes or cabinet work, in chemical laboratory, or on the typewriter, is not the less earnest student because he is not being forced through some traditional subject which does not interest him. The effect on the regular courses, freed of the disinterested pupils, is remarkable.
Change for the sake of change cannot be countenanced, but without change there can be no progress. One who will take the time to study first hand the work of the school will be impressed by the change of method due to a change of aim. As I have said, during the last five years efforts have been made to make the studies fit the needs of the boys and girls who belong to it, rather than to make the pupils fit into a course of indifferently taught studies. Two departments, modern language and science, have made especially gratifying advances, while mathematics, Latin, English, and history instruction are awakening. A few years ago modern language was generally taught almost wholly from a textbook of gram- mar, so that pupils after two vears had read a little classical French or German, but found so little enjoyment in it that they never read it thereafter, and soon forgot what little they had known. With the conversational method now in use, in two months they have a more facile use of the lan- guage than they had after two years of grammar drill. The class room work is supplemented by work done in modern language clubs. This has resulted in an increase of over eighty per cent in the number of pupils electing German this year.
A few years ago science was taught deductively, or, if inductively, with materials unrelated to the child's life. Today we study the chemistry of the home, analyzing water, testing milk, making baking powder, dyeing, making soap, studying foods, etc .; in physics we study the gas engine, gas and electric meters, the motor, wireless telegraphy, etc., while the work is supplemented by visits to large manufacturing plants. The result of this is a growth of thirty-seven per cent of
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
pupils electing scientific subjects. Civics no longer treats of government exclusively on the structural side; it must make clear to the pupil his duties as a member of the school, of a neighborhood, of the town, as well as his relation to his State and his Country. History is no longer an array of facts to be memorized and soon forgotten; it has become a study of the growth of nations and the result produced upon our own government and civilization, with current history carried on, and correlated with that of ancient times. English classes no longer merely commit to memory rules of rhetoric and read over examples in which they are embodied; the pupils must read entire selections, illustrating effective modes of expression, and write a great deal on familiar sub- jects in a direct, clear, and pleasing manner. Algebra must solve practical problems and must relate itself to everyday affairs. It must teach the practical use of the graph and the plotting of curves. Latin, which has been taught in a formal, . deadening manner for a century, is losing its grip; every year fewer elect it. It must be vitalized, made interesting, and shorn of much of its grammar if it is to survive. And perhaps what is most important, we are trying to teach our pupils, as yet with only moderate success, to read and to want to read such parts of our literature as are worth while. In the grades, we are emphasizing the fundamental operations in arithmetic and giving special attention to writing and language work as a foundation for life in the workaday world or for future study: We are trying to reduce the number of retarded pupils by conscientious work with individual pupils, and we are making efforts to allow bright children to progress as fast as is con- sistent with their best interests.
GRADING AND PROMOTIONS.
In Massachusetts the prevailing plan up to the last few years has been a nine-year course below the High School. Sentiment is rapidly changing in this respect, however, and today practi- cally fifty per cent of the cities and towns of the Commonwealth have adopted an eight-year plan for the elementary schools. Outside of New England a nine-year course is little known. In the country at large, including New England, about eighty-
-
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
five per cent of all cities and towns having four thousand inhabitants or more have an eight-year course, while several important places have a seven-year course. By making our grading flexible and by giving groups of children of unusual ability an opportunity to advance more rapidly through the course of study, many pupils have been enabled to complete the elementary grades in eight years or less. The object accomplished by this is primarily educational in its nature, though the element of saving to the town is not to be dis- regarded. A committee appointed by the National Education Association to report on Economy of Time in Education has recently sent out a report through the United States Bureau of Education, a few quotations from which may be interesting:
"We approach now the question of saving time in the elementary period or of accomplishing more within the time. There must be important reasons why in Germany, France, and England the secondary graduate is believed to be two years ahead of our High School graduates. Here are some reasons, assigned by a recent writer, for the superior progress in German schools: Beginning many subjects earlier than is the custom in America, such as foreign languages, elementary science, history; absence of marks and examinations; care of pupils as individuals; greater length of school year. But this subject is treated in the special reports of Superintendent Van Sickle, Superintendent Smiley, and Professor Suzzallo.
"The committee agree that there is much waste in elemen- tary education, and that the elementary period should be from six to twelve. Nearly all of our correspondents are emphatic regarding waste and the importance of shortening the entire period of general education. Saving of time can be made in the following ways:
" The principle of selection is first: Choose the most important subjects and the most important topics; make a distinction between first-rate facts and principles and tenth- rate; prune thoroughly, stick to the elements of a subject ;. do not try to teach everything that is good; confine the period of elementary education to mastering the tools of education. This does not prevent inspirational work, which is a demand on the skill of the teacher rather than on time. A great secret of
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
education is to accomplish a maximum of training with a mini- mum of material. This is especially true of formal subjects; it is true also of inspirational subjects in that after a general survey of the field emphasis should be placed upon a few selected points. Under the conditions above enumerated the formal elementary period can end in six years."
Superintendent Van Sickle of Springfield, a member of the committee who investigated the elementary school section, says in his report:
"Worcester, Indianapolis, Baltimore, Lincoln, Harrisburg, and Rochester, by maintaining special classes for exceptionally capable children, have shown that it is possible for able pupils to save one year between the sixth grade and the twelfth, with other advantages to themselves besides the saving of time. . . . One correspondent cautions, 'We cannot make or pro- duce maturity by hastening a process,' and another adds, 'It is a biological fact that children must have time to mature,' and this is quite true, but maturity advances at different rates with different children, and any scheme of educa- tion that fails to discriminate between those who develop slowly and those who develop rapidly is not only irrational, but essentially undemocratic. The problem that must be solved before society can utilize to the full its human resources is how to make adequate provision for the rate of progress suited to varying grades and types of intellect without depart- ing from the democratic ideal of equality of opportunity for all. Equality of opportunity and identity of opportunity are far from being equivalent terms, yet the necessity we have been under, particularly in our large cities, of educating children in 'shoals' has unquestionably resulted in pushing uniform requirements too far, thereby retarding the abler pupils and discouraging the weaker ones. Our educational machinery is so adjusted that as a rule even those pupils who are quite capable of meeting the standard of progress here advocated have little chance to do so. They can advance only as the soldier does on the march - at the pace of the army as a whole.
"We are assuming in this committee that it is possible and desirable to end the college and begin the university at twenty
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
instead of twenty-two, thus saving two years during the whole period of education, and we readily admit the responsibility of the elementary school for a share of this saving, but in accepting twenty as the age at which the college course should be completed we have in mind the abler students, not all students. The age of twenty may be taken as properly mark- ing the age boundary between general education and special- ization for the abler students, but to hold to this criterion for all students would be equivalent to saying that only the highly gifted should attempt to climb the educational ladder as high as the college level - that only the gifted can be benefited by the higher education. ... Some children are as mature mentally at twelve as others are at fifteen, and they keep the lead they have gained and even increase it if they have a fair chance to do so. They ought to have this chance, but the provision made for their unhampered progress should not deter the slower minds from entertaining college and university ambitions. Our organization should be flexible enough to accommodate itself to all whose circumstances permit them to aspire to a college education, whether their mental make- up allows them to complete a college course at the age here suggested (20 to 22) or not. The flexibility needed for the attainment of this end should work equally to the advantage of the rapid and the slow."
This matter is brought to your attention at this time in order to justify, if any justification is needed, the flexibility of our grading system. The quotations show that this is no hobby, but a well-recognized policy which the most progressive educators would carry far beyond anything we have been able to accomplish. It need hardly be said that this is one of the progressive lines of school administration. While I know that this policy is cordially commended by most thoughtful people, it is but natural that some should feel that children are being hurried or forced. We can assure such people that there is no desire to force children in any way. The parents of ac- celerated pupils are consulted, and if any child is found to be doing more than seems wise for him in the light of thorough- ness and his natural and logical development, he is put into- a group of whom less is required, if the parent so desires.
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
The course of study for the elementary schools is divided into nine sections, each supposed to contain the material for a year's work for the child of average ability. But children differ as much in ability as in height, weight, or looks. Our plan as generally carried on resembles the so-called Cambridge plan. As may be seen by the tabulation showing the pro- motions, non-promotions, and accelerations which follows, by far the largest number of those who have gained a year have done so between the sixth and ninth grades. The manner of accomplishing this usually is as follows: A section made up of the most gifted children of the sixth grade do not only the work laid out for this grade but part of the work of grade seven; the next year they finish the work of grade seven and do a large part of the work of grade eight; the final year they finish the work of grade eight, usually by Thanksgiving or soon after, and the ninth year work is finished by June. In this way an eight-year grammar school course is provided for pupils of more than average ability.
The accelerations in the lower grades are generally brought about in rooms in which there are sections of two grades. The advanced section of a lower grade is grouped in a room with a slower section of the next higher grade. By receiving additional attention before school and after school, as well as in school hours, these bright children of the lower section are able by the end of the year to catch up with the slower pupils of the higher section. The next year they enter the next grade with a teacher informed as to what has been accomplished during the preceding year and what needs still to be done. Soon, by extra efforts with these children, they are able to draw up to a level with the best of the grade. It will be seen that by both of these plans there is no "skip- ping." It is more rapid progress for those who are so con- stituted that the frequent reviews and constant drills so neces- sary for the slower pupils are not required by them. The proof of the working of this policy is the excellent grade of work maintained by pupils in the High School who have done the work of the grades in less than nine years.
- Being human, we sometimes make a mistake in selecting
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
pupils who can successfully do work of this nature, but we are constantly striving to minimize these mistakes.
The following table gives the results of the work accomplished last year as indicated by promotions:
Whole Number
Not Promoted Promoted Per cent
Gained a Year
Per cent
Grade I
227
197
30
13.2
8
3.5
Grade II
226
212
14
6.2
17
7.5
Grade III
195
178
17
8.7
19
9.7
Grade IV
281
267
14
5.
18
6.4
Grade V
232
216
16
6.9
22
9.54
Grade VI
209
201
8
3.8
10
4.8
Grade VII
209
200
9
4.3
54
26.3
Grade VIII
149
143
6
4.
0
0.
Grade IX
163
156
7
4.3
0
0.
Totals
1891
1770
121
6.4
148
7.8
While the per cent of non-promotions is six-tenths of one per cent more than during the preceding year, the number of accelerated pupils is greater by two per cent. The cause of the increase in those held back was that we had two very large classes in the Crosby School for the greater part of last year. When it is noted that less than eight pupils out of every one hundred gained a year, it can hardly be charged that an undue number are advancing rapidly.
The following table shows the per cent of repeaters for a series of years:
June 1905. 18.5%
June 1909. 11.8%
June 1906. 14.4%
June 1910. 10.5%
June 1907. 13.4%
June 1911. 8.8%
June 1908. 12.5%
June 1912. 5.8%
June 1913. 6.4%
The age and grading distribution table differs from that of the last two years in that it includes the High School classes also.
As a proof of the fact that the chronological age and the mental age do not correspond, the following tabulation needs little comment. It will be seen that ten-year-old pupils are
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
found in every grade from the first through the eighth, and fifteen-year-old pupils; work in every grade from the fifth to the thirteenth.
AGE AND GRADE DISTRIBUTION, SECOND MONDAY IN DECEMBER, 1913.
GRADES
1
AGES
5
6
1 7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
Above
Norma
Percent
I.
166 116
33
5
1
1
1
323
41|12.7
II.
1
80|119
39
5
5
249
49 19.8
III
4.
98
81
36
11
6
1
237
53 22.4
IV.
10
96
74
15
17
1
213
33.15.5
V.
1
13
61
43
26
4
3
1
224
77 34.4
20
78
80
44
20
1
1
1
252
73|28.9
1
3
43
46
38
16
147
54 36.7
26
58
47
43
15
193
58 30.
Totals
167 200 260 244 224 192 230
220 185 110
70
17
1 1
2120
526 24.8
High X .
2
36
41
47
33
7
1
167
41 24.6
XI
5
28
56
37
14
4
144
18 12.5
XII.
109
9
8.3
XIII.
1
10
24
11
78
11
14.1
Post Graduates ..
1
3
3
7
0
....
Totals - High. .
2
41
71 123
129
79
49
11
505
79|15.6
Grand Totals. . .
167
200|260 244 224 192 230 222 226 181 193 146
79
50
10 2025
605 23.
49
26
11
1
1
282
88 31.2
VI.
22
94
78
72
VII
VIII
IX
2
19
4.8
31
9
32
The figures between the two dark lines show the numbers of pupils of normal age for the grade, 1807 or 69%; those to the right show the numbers above normal age for the grade, 605 or 23%; those to the left show the numbers below normal age, 213 or 8%. While some of the retardation shown by the number of over age children is caused by late entrance, it is true that two-thirds is caused by slow progress through the grades either in our own Town or elsewhere. A large number of the new pupils above the first grade who enter our schools are over the normal age for the grades they enter. Much of the retardation, however, has occurred in our schools, and if blame attaches thereto, we must assume it.
HIGH SCHOOL.
The importance of this department of the school system and the fact that it includes nearly one-fifth of the school children and absorbs more than one-fourth of the entire
Total
1
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
amount expended for schools lead one to note a few facts with respect to its welfare, despite the fact that an excellent and comprehensive report of the school is appended in the report of the principal.
There is a tendency at the present time in most communities to keep children at school. There is little doubt that a law will be enacted before many years which will raise the age of compulsory school attendance to sixteen years. There were 163 graduates from our grammar schools last June, while the freshman class enrolled 170 pupils in September. This is accounted for by the fact that although all who graduated did not enter the High School, pupils entering from the pa- rochial school and from new families more than made up the number. More pupils are continuing through school than ever. Last June 68 pupils graduated from the High School from a class which numbered 112 in the freshman year, 60.7 per cent, which is unusually large. If all the pupils of the present senior class are graduated in June they will number 78 grad- uates out of 119 who entered as freshmen in 1910, 65.6 per cent, an unusually large proportion, hardly excelled anywhere. Of the 68 who graduated in June, 31 entered some higher institution of learning.
All except those entering Harvard, Radcliffe, and the Insti- tute of Technology, which institutions receive no pupils on certificate, entered on a certificate from the school. If pupils do their work faithfully in the Arlington High School, they can secure therein adequate preparation for any of our higher institutions of learning.
But the preparation for college is only one of the duties which a High School has to perform. Twenty-one pupils graduated from our commercial department; and all but one' of these have regular positions in which the remuneration varies from eight to twelve dollars a week. Several had posi- tions awaiting them upon graduation and some were working before graduation. Others, however, had to wait several weeks before securing positions, in spite of the fact that the graduates of our school are recognized by the agencies connected with the various typewriter concerns as superior operators. The explanation of this is simple: nearly all high schools are now
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ARLINGTON TOWN REPORT
teaching stenography and typewriting, and a large number of commercial schools in and about Boston are turning out stenographers with 'surprising rapidity and of fair efficiency. The supply of trained but inexperienced stenographers has increased much more rapidly than the demand. Business men are no longer willing to spend their time breaking in inexperienced help. We must face the fact that it will become more and more difficult for us to place our graduates unless they are of a very superior type, or unless they have had some actual experience with real office work. I recommend that the fourth year commercial pupils be permitted to spend four or five weeks in an office, without pay, provided places can be found for them, doing whatever they are asked to do, and for this school credit be allowed, and some recognition of it given by special certificate. This would give our graduates a decided advantage over graduates from other schools.
Of High School accommodations I need hardly speak. The sanitary accommodations for the large number of girls in our High School are totally insufficient. We are embarrassed in other ways of which you are aware. We are doing and shall continue to do our best under the conditions until the Town sees fit to furnish additional accommodations. I hope for the good of the children that we shall not be obliged to have two shifts of pupils and teachers to carry on the work.
The complex nature of a school which has grown to be as large as ours should not be lost sight of. The Science Depart- ment, for instance, must cater to the needs of a boy who is headed for a cultural course at Harvard, for the boy who intends to take a scientific course at Technology, the boy who intends to enter a trade, and the commercial student who is to enter an office-to say nothing of the girl who is to make a specialty of domestic science with a view to being a nurse or housekeeper, and the young lady who is to specialize in art; and all this in a laboratory built twenty years ago to prepare small classes of students for the college entrance examinations of that time.
The spirit of work and discipline of the school are most commendable. We confess in all humbleness of spirit that we do not succeed as we could wish with all pupils, but teachers
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SCHOOL COMMITTEE
are not only willing but anxious to help and encourage all who are failing. Occasionally we find a parent who attributes all failures of his child to the teacher. Unless a pupil comes to school with some interest in intellectual matters and with a disposition to study, the most earnest teacher with large classes must occasionally fail to obtain a passing mark for him. This is not to suggest that the failure is necessarily due to the parent. It may be the result of environment or of his great-grandparents, but unless the evidence is clear it should not be debited to the teacher. We feel our failures keenly and the report of the principal shows how carefully. these are recognized and recorded, and every opportunity and encouragement offered pupils to make up. their failures.
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